Crate



June 11, 1935. w, w. BIRNs'rocK CRATE Filed March 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 11, 1935 Application-March 19,

, y `i'zolaim. This invention yrelates'to.crzafsxand- `has forsiits `principal object thejprovision of f meansifor: materially strengthening. Ithe; crate, generallyzfland also in the providing of Vverticalfbracketsiasso- 5, cia-ted. with non-flatspacingxstrips at: the .l1-bottom l ,of thecrate making theso-.called'gridworkimuch 1 more lsturdy thanthe grid Workin'previouszstruc- Ltures ofthisfkind. A

` inthe-drawings: 2

^Figure 1l isa-vertical-section thru a Ycrate e 'f bodying my invention.

' :Figure 2 is a,- transversefverticalf section.

r Figure 3 Ais an enlargedviewtof.-` onefof.:the

standards.

#Figure 4 is a. side eleyations'ofiligure 3.

Figure 5 is ay viewof an end slat. Figure 6 is, a .perspectivefof fthe' standardiiin place. i

My invention in its preferred form relates':to milk bottle crates ,but it ,-,is`obvious'1that features of the inventionbhave futility .finaother fields. '1v-In y,the drawingsthe crate is?lformed''of,replaceable slats and themetal pieces; are alsonreplaceable altho the crateisfin no sense Whatsoeverlaxknock- -down-'crate, the idea ofreplacernenty being.solely to be able to remove a part that hasybeen: damaged Y in handling, it 4being well known'thatamilkacrates to stand the treatment they are. subjectedftmmust ,necessarily be of very'sturdy.. materials.

,'At each of Vthe-fourfcorners -eofi-thecrate there is a vertical angle `piecefl llhaving integralri'ghtg angled horizontal flanges il It. at top zandxbottom .l and also having integra1r:lugs.;il2.,With:rounded i inturned flanges fi 3 :which i, receive` and, hold the 3 inner. angle-iron piece' I4` which nis` driven wertically downward from the top, :bindingfin'fplace :the ve end strips and the ivelsida' stripsfwhich umeet 'at that corner. z The-features. sofa-fandef,scribed are not claimed/inthe;presentr:app1ica tion and are described to iclarifyithef description of-other parts.

i Each bottom endzslat A51-and yeachxbottomfside VVslati 6 has on itsflovvensurface a metalzrunnerfl 1 :ewhich is secured to-thelbottom slat, byfmeansxiof fastening 18 which -maybe either screwsortnails ,zandnwhich are preferably; tho notxfnecessarily,

yvlcouritersunlr.v iInl 1ordinary custom `thefends vof '-,these runners,-.which z are ordinarily@ strapsgzfor bandS, are bentsharply upwardly at fright tangles and restagainst the transverse cleatszorsthey. are -.offset and extend aboveV and restcontthelangle a pieces. In the"` iirstfschemethe objectionxis that Y the ends .of the bandstend .tok comesout, andcatch aon .parts of,r the carrier .mechanism,.;often Iresult- @55 ingrin the-.tearing Leiirofethis :bottom reenforng crate, and in thefsecond- Ascheme', fthe'lprincipal xobjecticnf isi :the Vextra and- `unnecessaryxcost of rfinaking, the :four .right langle-fbends in'. thestrip fri 5 v fand in sawingy aY rectangular .section Vfr-omieach ...endzof-,feaoh bottom;slat. l

I-nd Lean-secure a moresatisfactoryl runner'y 1 by cutting a short kerf:20,at ornear the ljunction o-f. the runner. andA theffflange'l If; extendingrgup-lO -f Wardlyinto the slatat ariI angle of about 60.aand by bending each endr of the strapf-onbandwn i to. the fsame .anglegas at`1-|9 and thenzapplying the e :runner or-:band Itouthei slatf laterally," dri-ving the l,.fastenings;l8. "Inthiswayfthereisnoitendency ,lf-for the-i band :to gap and since I ordinarlyrapply oneof thel-fastenerszfl Byery :close ltofthef upturned .endA fl 9 fof, Ithea-bandv there isf' no tendency of 'the eend-of, the `.bandi-,or runner. torbe-deectedw down- '.3120

v,Ward-finto;position Where it zcouldv-fcause, da'rriaxge.r

.Inasmucmas. a runner Hxiszapplied .toi-'1V` each one ofvthefourbottom slatsprior-toassemblyfthe presenceor absenceof therunner makesvnoadif- ,ferencejin the. :method of assemblybut. it `Willfbes25 notjed' that'each upturnedendfl9 is protectedtin part bythe end 'ofthe an'gle piecellwhch .normally has at each edge a slight flangewhichjis i seen in Figure 5 isl slightly j grooved at 'eachdtigo as1at'21 to receivetheouter `angle Wandthekerf 124-28 to receivethelpl-ugflZfis "aty the shoulder-made bythe 'shallow reces'sZT. '-Ii'nsure against as'plit- 'ting' from 'the end'off the slatotwthekerfl by? the @screw;onnai1':.29,.fthef h'eadot. which need not i be w35 ,1: recessedras itflies inthe horizontal mIaCkfbetWeen fitherbottom' slatrandthe; slat justabove e w Near ethe; bot-tomfnof: the :crate and @extending *rfromfl one endt Slat El 5 @to the mother; is a -aseries'i of ,-.supporngarodsrls arranged in pairs'ltooorm amo bottom restxfor` thefbottleswhichfthe cratefca-rries. The usual compartments are formedbyfthe i -y;longitudinal rods-e23iand by thef transverse.' partiyftion :rodsfzll which-zpreferably lieav'u'stfabove the ywproximate longitudinal rods .Thelr.0dS:,il1us :45

rated ldiffer lfrom the usuallacingstripsfuonllynin wbeing:somewhat-moresturdyrand 1intliefact that A -:each;'1od2 I 23 ,and 2 4 iis findependentlyremovable Ifrom-the YcrateE byfmeans illustrated and claimed -in.an-,application WhichLhave :previously fiil'ed. 250

fwmfpluralityof 'parallelispacerl-stripsil extend v f: freni-side to-side of .the cratey and each-isv--pervforated to; receive fallf of the supporting rods 22 lv ygEach; spacer 'strip nisn-J -shaped in :cross-f section awithryam roundedaportionup, i-.;=e.,..,the :portion y6,55

which surrounds the proximate transverse rods 24. I prefer that the holes to receive the supy porting rods be positioned so that these bottom pal portions of which are a standard 3| and-a` base 32. Centrally the standard is perforated Vas at 33 to receive the middle longitudinal rod 23- and at each side of the opening thestandard is indented as at 33 and 34 to receivethe middle transverse rod 24. It will be noted that the portions 33 and 34 are indented in opposite` directions and that all of the brackets are alike,`there f being no sufficient advantage in making them rights and lefts to overcome the necessity for the additional trouble in assembly.

Near the top the standard is bent as at 35 and is bent to U-shape atthe top as at 36 ending in a downturned lip 31 between which and the ofi"- set back portion 38 is received the upper transverse rod 24 the lip and back having alined openingsy 3!!k to receive the upper longitudinal rod` 23 whicltit will be noted locks the upper transverse rod in place in the opening between the back 38 and the lip 31. k 'I'he base 32 is of sufficient transverse length -.to grip one bottom rod 2| of each of two proxiv.fmate pairsy and for this purpose is provided with vthe openings 40 which aline with openings in the spacer strip 25 which latter is gripped at its bottom by eachof two reversely bent anges or lips Y `4|,`the metal of the base preferably being recessed as at 42 between these portions. I prefer that'the major `portion of the bracket 30 shall be inthe planeof the axes of the transverse rods and I also prefer that the major portion of the spacer strip 25 shall be vertical 'and therefore I form an oiset 44 in the base 'of the bracket to receive the rounded top portion 26 of the spacer strip. l

By the provision of the spacer strip and the -v associated standards I have formed a crate which v is remarkably sturdy since the spacer strips by their-locking engagement with the base of the bracket prevents absolutely any side to side mover,ment of the upper longitudinal rods 23 and the tying in of the middle transverse rods limits sharply the possibility of end to end movement, of the middle of thev spacerA strips25. Side to side l movement of the bottom supporting rods 2| is absolutely limited by the spacer strips and also by the interlocking relation of the brackets thru their openings 40 which receive these rods.

What I claim is:

` 1. In a crate having sides, ends, partition rods at different levels'joining opposite walls to form bottle receiving compartments, and supporting rods joining opposite walls to form a bottom rest 'for the bottles; a spacer engaging one side of one 'lower partition rod throughout its exposed length and having openings to receive the adjacent supporting rods so as to lock the said one lower par- -ltition rod to said -spacenand a bracket engaging `said spacer, a plurality of supporting rodsrand one `'of ythe'upper'partition rods andhaving openings -therethru `to -receivea plurality of partition rods located between the upperpartition rod engaged by the bracket and the'lower partition rod engaged by the spacer.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the bracket is provided with means to prevent lateral movement of the bracket with respect to the spacer.

3. In a crate, a plurality of bottle supporting rods, a plurality of transverse spacers having openings therethru to engage snugly each of said bottle supporting rods, a bracket having a base resting upon the upper side of a spacer and having gripping relations with the spacer on the oppositey side, said bracket having an extension provided with recesses and openings for interlocking partition wires above the spacer.

4. In a crate having a plurality of partition rods, a member receiving therethru a plurality of vertically alined rods and also receiving in interlocking engagement with said rods a plurality of vertically alined rods extending at right angles to the rst'mentioned rods, and spaced means for anchoringsaid member to prevent lateral movement of 1 certain' of said rods, said rods mutually cooperating thru said interlocking engagement to vproduce a snug t in said member.v

5. A grid for a crate consistingof a plurality ofintersecting partition rods forming bottle compartments, a plurality of bottom supporting rods, a plurality of bottom transverse rods each crossing all of the bottom supporting rods, a plurality ofV spacing members each adapted to receive a;

transverse bottom rod and having openings therethru to receive the bottom supporting rods to lock the transverse bottom rod to the spacing member, and a plurality Voi? brackets each engaging a spacing member on twosides receiving thru openings therein two proximate bottom supporting rods each bracket having an extension receiving and locking other pairs of intersecting rods.

member J-shaped infcross section, the rounded portion ,receiving snugly a partition rod, said member having in its dat portion a lplurality'of openings to receive snugly transverse positioning rods, said openingsbeing adjacent the rounded portion sothat. the rods passing therethru engage the partition rod whereby to lock the said parti` tion rodwithin-said rounded portion.

"7. A memberfor making rigid a plurality of rods crossing each other to ,form'partitiona con-I sisting of a base having a recess to receive a rod and havingan opening to receive a rod at right angles to said rod to :lock said rod in the recess; a standard having a recess to receive a rod parallel to the first rod and having a hole therethru to Yreceive la further rod to lock such adjacent rod in 'the standard recess; and means integral with the member for locking together two rods crossing'each other at right anglesibetween the rs rod and the parallel rod. v

8. In a crate having replaceable slats forming panels, replaceable bottle supporting rods near the bottom of the crate, a plurality of replaceable transverse rods just above the bottle supporting rods, spacing elements having yopenings there-- thru to receive the bottle supporting rodsga plurality'of brackets, each bracket having an offset portion to receive a bottom transverse rod, a plu- 'rality of .partition rods in vertical alinement with saidr transverse rod, said brackets each having holes therethru to receive a plurality of longitudinal `partition rods and having spaced openings therein to receive two laterallyspaced bottle supporting rods neither of which is in vertical alinekfment with the partition rods, andmeans .for gser6. A spacing strip for a crate, `comprising al..

consisting of a member having atcentral elon-l curing the brackets to the bottom of the vrespective spacing elements whereby all longitudinal rods are positively locked against side vto side movement. 'A V 9. In a crate having end and sideslats, Ameans at each corner for locking the slats in place,v rods extending from side to side and from end to end of the crate arranged in diiTerent horizontal planes to form bottle compartments, a plurality of'bottle supporting rods extending from end to end of the crate and below the previously mentioned rods,y a plurality of transverse rods extending from side to side of the crate just above the bottle supporting rods, a plurality of spacing strips each snugly engaging one of said last mentioned side to side rods and having openings therethru to receive the bottle supporting rods, and means engaging the spacing members to lock the rods above the bottle supporting rods to the spacing member, said means having integral extensions receiving and locking the partition rods located above the rod which' is locked to the spacing member.

10. A bracket for a milk crate with crossed partition rods, a plurality of bottle supporting rods arranged in pairs beneath the partition rods and having spacing members associated with some of the rods, saidbracket consisting of a single stamping having an extended base recessed to receive a partition rod and vprovided with spaced lugs togrip a spacing member, a standard rising from said base and ending with a. downturned lip to receive a rod parallel to-the base and having alined openings in the standard, one of said openings located to receive a crossing rod to lock the just-mentioned rod in the recess formed by' the lip, said standard having between the lip and base a vertically elongated slot and laterally of such recess a pair of oppositely directed indentations, alined openings in said base for receiving said supporting rods.

11. A bracket for interlocking four rods in vertically alined pairs crossing at right angles,

gated slot to receive one rod and transversely thereof two complementary, oppositely directed indentations to receive the proximate rod which will lock the iirst rod in one end of the slot, said v member being offset to form a back parallel to the body of the member, said back having a downturned lip parallel with the back and body to form a recess for receiving a rod parallel to the second mentioned rod, said back and lip having alined openings therethru for receiving the fourth rod which will lock the third rod in said recess, and means for anchoring the member to prevent lateral -movement of the fourth rod.

12. The device of claim 11 in which the an-l choring means is an integral base of the bracket having interlocking connection with a plurality of other intersecting rods.

13. The device of claim 11 in which the anchoring means is a base having spaced holes to receive snugly further rods parallel to the third rod.

14. The device of claim 11 in which the anchoring means is a base having inturned flanges and in proximity therewith .an elongated recess to receive thegmember which is engaged by the iianges.

15. A T-shaped bracket for positioning the rods of a milk crate having two spaced holes in its standard to receive two parallel rods and having near the end of each arm a hole to receive a rod not in alinement with the two parallel rods.

16. The device of claim 15 in which the bracket is recessedfor reception of three parallel rods each passing closely one of the said spaced holes.

17. The device of-claim 15 in which the bracket is recessed for reception of three parallel rodsl each passing closely one of the said yspaced holes and is provided with gripping means to engage amember having locking engagement with the rods which pass thru the holes in the two varms of the T-bracket. y

WILLIAM W. BIRNSTOCKV.`

loy 

